The Nova Scotia Gaming Foundation was established in March 1998, pursuant to the Gaming Control Act and Provincial Finance Act. The purpose of the NSGF is to receive, maintain, and disburse monies in support of research or education related to gambling or treatment and remediation of the effects of gambling.

How is the NSGF funded? Where does our money come from?

The distribution of funds that the Nova Scotia Gaming Foundation receives is outlined in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the NSGF and the Department of Health Promotion and Protection: Under the terms of their retailer agreements, VLT retailers contribute 1% of their annual VLT commission. The Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation matches this amount.

In addition to the annual monies it receives, the NSGF has an account known as the Community Development Account (CDA). The interest on this account is also distributed as per the terms of the MOA.

How much money does the NSGF receive?

The funds received through the VLT formula have experienced a steady decline in the last number of years, as a direct result of recent actions taken to reduce the number of VLT machines in Nova Scotia.

Since 2004, the NSGF has received the following amounts through the VLT formula:

    2004-2005 - $953,060
    2005–2006 - $842,198
    2006–2007 - $709,455

2007-2008 - $662,592

2008-2009 - $655,218

2009-2010 - $630,876

Where does the money go?

The Memorandum of Agreement between the Nova Scotia Gaming Foundation and the Department of Health Promotion and Protection outlines the disbursement of funds. Simply put, the operating costs for the NSGF are taken from the total revenue and the remaining balance is disbursed accordingly.